The maths, with your numbers
No guesswork and no brand chart. This is the same calculation a vet does on paper, so you can check it.
What this means for the bowl
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe sits in the middle of the 140 dry dog foods we track, at 401 kcal per cup.
To show how much the food matters: a 15 lb puppy needs about 590 kcal a day. That is 1 ½ cups of this food, but 1 ⅛ cups of Purina Pro Plan All Ages Sport Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice and 2 ⅛ cups of Kirkland Signature Healthy Weight Chicken and Vegetable. Same dog, same day, very different scoops.
A level 8 oz measuring cup holds about 108 g of this kibble. If you have kitchen scales, weighing is more accurate than scooping, because a heaped cup holds noticeably more than a level one.
Puppies need about three times their resting energy until 4 months, then about twice. Weigh weekly, because the portion changes as they grow.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe feeding chart
Daily amounts for growing puppys with no treats, from the label calories and the AAHA 2021 energy factors. Split the amount into meals.
| Weight | Under 4 months | 4 months and older |
|---|---|---|
| 2 lb 0.9 kg | ½ cup53 g | ⅜ cup35 g |
| 5 lb 2.3 kg | 1 cup104 g | ⅝ cup70 g |
| 10 lb 4.5 kg | 1 ⅝ cups176 g | 1 ⅛ cups117 g |
| 15 lb 6.8 kg | 2 ¼ cups238 g | 1 ½ cups159 g |
| 20 lb 9.1 kg | 2 ¾ cups295 g | 1 ⅞ cups197 g |
| 30 lb 13.6 kg | 3 ¾ cups400 g | 2 ½ cups267 g |
| 40 lb 18.1 kg | 4 ⅝ cups497 g | 3 ⅛ cups331 g |
| 50 lb 22.7 kg | 5 ½ cups587 g | 3 ⅝ cups391 g |
| 60 lb 27.2 kg | 6 ¼ cups673 g | 4 ⅛ cups449 g |
Label values: 401 kcal per cup, 3,717 kcal per kg. Source: petsmart.com, checked 18 Oct 2026.
Questions
How much Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe should I feed a 20 lb puppy?
About 1 ⅞ cups or 197 g a day for a puppy aged 4 months or more, before treats. That is 732 kcal a day divided by the food’s label value. Use the calculator above to adjust for your pet.
How many calories are in Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe?
The label states 401 kcal per cup, 3,717 kcal per kg (checked 18 Oct 2026). Recipes change, so check your bag.
More from Blue Buffalo
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- Life Protection Large Breed Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
- Wilderness High Protein Chicken Recipe Adult Grain-Free
- Homestyle Recipe Chicken Dinner with Garden Vegetables & Brown Rice Adult
- Life Protection Small Breed Chicken & Brown Rice Adult
- Life Protection Healthy Weight Chicken & Brown Rice Adult
- Life Protection Small Breed Chicken & Oatmeal Puppy